Gas-collectob



I. J. BABC'OCK.

GAS COLLECTOR.

APPLICATION FlL-ED SEPT. 9. 1918.

1 32%,292 Patented Dec. 9, 1919.

m IIIIIIW l HI ll are IRA J. BABcocK, or CHICAGO, rumors.

GAS-COLLECTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 9, 1919.

Application filed September 9, 1918. Serial No. 253,345.

To all whom it may comm Be it known that L-IRA J. BABCOCK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago,-in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Collectors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to devices adapted to collect gases for the purpose of analysis, as, for instance, the flue gases from a furnace for the purpose of determining by their chemical constitution the efficiency of the fuel consumption; this latter usually being done by ascertaining the relative amounts of carbon dioxid, carbon monoxid, and free oxygen in an average sample. This collection of the gas is usually accomplished by the use of a displacementtank which, being filled with water, is connected withthe flue or chamber from which the gas is to be taken, and the water is then slowly drained off from the tank, the gas takingits place. In such devices lack of uniformity in the rate at which the gas is collected occurs because there .is a variation in the flow of water from the tank due to. the constantly decreasing head.

For securing an average sample of gas I covering. a considerable period of time (usually from eight to twelve hours) in apparatus of this klnd it is necessary that the rate of collection be uniform for the required period, andthat there be no contamination, dilution, loss-or change inthe gas due to process of collection or manner of storage.

To provide an improved gas collecting apparatus that willsecure the above-named results constitutes the principal object of the present invention, this object being attained primarily by meansof anapparatus which eliminates the feature of a decreasing water head above referred to, and insures the dis- I U charge of the water under a substantially constant head at a uniform rate of flow,

thereby securing a uniform rate of. collection of gas throughout the entire period.

To guard against partial absorptionof thegas by the water, it'is customary ingas 50,

oll ct rs of this p r f' e ne t iq i such as a y of whi floats on the surface of thewater and acts as a seal between the gas; and waters AnothellwQbie he P es n nt n s t e. pro ane ereassahsaty ea erness-eras Se-a1:

ing liquid at either the water-discharge or the gas-discharge end of the apparatus is automatically guarded against.

Still other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, wherein I have shown a practical working embodiment of the principle of the invention, and in which the figure is an elevation, partly broken out and in section, of the complete apparatus.

Referring to the drawing, and first describing the parts and organization of-the apparatus, 5 designates a container for the collection of the gas which may conveniently take the form of a vertical cylindrical tank supported on a hollow base 6. Secured to and depending from the bottom wall of this tank is a relatively small auxiliary chamber 7 to the bottom of which is secured a T- coupling 8. From this latter a horizontal pipe 9 leads out laterally through the base 6 of the container and connects into another T-coupling 10. A water inlet nozzle 11 equipped with a stop-cock 12 connects into the upper end of T-coupling 10, and a draft or suction tube 13, forming a part of the water outlet, is connected into the lower end of T-coupling 10 and extends a considerable distance below the auxiliary chamber 7. This draft or suctiontube 13 is equipped just below the T-coup'ling 10 with a stop-cock 14, and at its lower end with a regulating valve 15 which, by means of valve-handle l6 and a scale 17 may be set to determine the period in which the main tank will be emptied of water and filled with the collected gas. Within the auxiliary chamber 7 is a float -18 having a depending valve-stem 19 and valve 20, the sole function of which is to prevent-loss of the sealing liquid at the watcr-discharge end of the apparatus through emptying of the auxiliary chamber.

To the top of the container 5.is connected a combined vent and gas outlet nozzle 21 provided with a stop-cock 22-. A portion 21 of this nozzle is sufliciently enlarged to form a float-chamber containing a float 23 carrying a check-valve 24, by which loss of the sealing liquid is prevented at the gasdischarge end of the apparatus,

25 designates thegfas inlet pipe. leading. from. the combustion: chamber orfiue of a furnace, and equipped with a stop-cock 26. This pipe 25 leads through the base 6 of the container into one end of a T-coupling 27, the opposite end of which is connected.

into the auxiliary cln mber 7 as near as practicable to the upper end of the latter.

28 designates a pipe which connects the lower end of the container 5 with the auxiliary chamber 7 as near the lower end of the latter as practicable, and 29 designates another pipe which connects the upper end of the container 5 with the upper portion of the auxiliary chamber 7, this latter connection being preferably made through the T- coupling 27, the lower end of the pipe 29 entering the lateral branch or stem of the T-coupling as shown. This pipe 29 preferably takes the form of a coil or spiral, as shown, and for compactness of structure is located within the container or tank 5; but it might, if more convenient for manufacture or repairs, be located externally of the tank 5, in which case the T-coupling 27 would also preferably be placed outside the base of the container.

The apparatus above described is primed and operates in the following manner: With the cocks 12 and 22 open and the other cocks closed, a quantity of sealing liquid, such, for instance, as paraffin oil, is poured in through the water supply nozzle 11 in an amount suflicient to fill the auxiliary chamher 7. The water supply pipe or hose is then connected on to the nozzle 11, and the sys tem is filled with water, the complete filling being indicated by the closingof the automatic float-valve 24- in the vent and gas outlet nozzle 21. The oil, being lighter than the water, of course forms a film on top of the latter in the tank 5, and, the oil also fills the tube or pipe 29 throughout all or the greater part of its length. During this filling operation the air in thesystem is, of course, expelled through the vent 21. The vent cock 22 and water-supply cock 12 are then closed, and the water-outlet cock It is opened, relieving the water-niain pressure in the tank. The gas inlet cook 26 is then opened, and finally the regulating valve 15 is adjusted to time the period of gas collection as desired. The water flows continuously from the draft tube 13 at a rate determined by the setting of the regulating valve 15, this out-flow being under the head of liquid between the lower end of the tube 29 and the lower end of the draft tube, plus or minus the difference in pressure of the gas to be sampled and the air, the main body of liquid in the tank 5 being upheld by the partial vacuum in the upper end thereof. As soon as the lower end of the tube 29 is partly uncovered, gas bubbles upwardly through the tube 29 thereby partially relieving the vacuum and permitting a coree responding flow of liquid from the tank 5 This action is further facilitated bv through the pipe 28 into auxiliary chamber 7 thereby maintaining a substantially constant level of the liquid in chamber 7 This operation continues until the main tank 5 is emptied of water and filled with the collected gas, the auxiliary chamber 7 being at this time filled with the sealing liquid, loss of which is prevented by the automatic closing of the float-valve 20.

It will be observed that during this operation the outfiowing water is under the, effective head of only the body of liquid in the auxiliary chamber and draft-tube, which is substantially constant, the larger body of water in the tank 5 and tube 29 being upheld by the partial vacuum above the liquid therein. Hence, the rate of outflow of water, and consequently the rate of collection of the gas, are substantially uniform throughout the entire period. The draftv or suction tube 13 extends in practice a considerable distance below the level of the auxiliary chamber so as to secure a suction much greater than required for induction of gas, so that a moderate variation in the induction resistance (gas pressure) would produce no appreciable variation in the flow of liquid through the draft tube.

The float-valve 20 in the auxiliary chamber 7 (which forms a part of the water outlet passage) prevents over-emptying andloss of protection fluid from over-emptying, and also provides aseal to prevent induction of air through the water outlet by prohibiting over-emptying. This float valve has no influence on the height of the liquid in the auxiliary chamber, except to prevent itbe coming too low. The height of the liquid, and therefore the head on the draft tube,v are entirely independent of both the floatvalve 20 and the amount of liquid in the main container 5.

It is believed that the structure, manner and principle of operation, and advantages of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description. and the accompanying illustration. It will be observed that I have shown the tube29, through which the gas enters to the top of the container, as a coil. A. straight pipe or tube might be employed within the principle of the invention, but the inclined form is preferred since the gas bubbles are smaller and pass more evenly and uniformly therethrough, hugging the top wall thereof, instead of passing in the form of separate, disconnected bubbles, oc--. cupying the entire cross-section of the tube. giving to the lower open end of tube 29 an inclined cross-section, as shown. The tube 29. containing the protecting fluid (oil), affords a passage for the gas to the tank above the liquid in the latter without contact efthe gas with the water and. caus quent partial absorption of the gas, and this constitutes an important function of said tube.

Without limiting the invention to the specific details of structure and arrangement shown, I claim:

1. In a gas collector, the combination of a container for the collection of gas, an auxiliary chamber below said container, a drafttube leading from the bottom of said auxiliary chamber, a duct connecting the bottom of said container with the bottom of said auxiliary chamber, a duct connecting the top of said container with the top of said auxiliary chamber, and a gas inlet pipe communicating with said last-named duct substantially at the point of connection of the latter with said auxiliary chamber.

2. In a gas collector, the combination of a container for the collection of gas, an auxiliary chamber below said container, a drafttube leading from the bottom of said auxiliary chamber, a duct connecting the bottom of said container with the bottom of said auxiliary hamber. a duct connecting the top of said container with the top of said auxiliary chamber, a gas inlet pipe communieating with said last-named duct substantially at the point of connection of the latter with said auxiliary chamber, a gas outlet passage communicating with the top of said container, and a float-Valve controlling said gas outlet passage.

3. In a gas collector, the combination of a container for the collection of gas, an auxiliary chamber below said container, a drafttube leading from the bottom of said auxiliary chamber, a duct connecting the bottom of said container with the bottom of said auxiliary chamber, a duct connecting the top of said container with .the top of said auxiliary chamber, a gas inlet pipe communicating with said last-named duct substantially at the point of connection of the latter with said auxiliary chamber, and a float-valve in said auxiliary chamber con trolling the communication of the latter with said draft tube.

4. In a gas collector, the combination of a container for the collection of gas, an auxiliary chamber below said container, a drafttube leading from the bottom of said auxiliary chamber, a duct connecting the bottom of said container with the bottom of said auxiliary chamber, a duct connecting the top of said container with the top of said auxiliary chamber, a gas inlet pipe communicating with said last-named duct substantially at the point of connection of the latter with said auxiliary chamber, a gas outlet passage communicating with the top of said container. a float-valve controlling said outlet passage, and a float-Valve in said auxiliary chamber controlling the communication of the latter with said draft tube.

5. In a gas collector, the combination of a gas-collecting tank, an auxiliary chamber beneath said tank, a pipe connecting the bottom of said tank with the bottom of said auxiliary chamber, a pipe connecting the top of said tank with the top of said auxiliary chamber, a gas inlet pipe communicating with said last-named pipe substantially at the point of connection of the latter with said auxiliary chamber, a pipe extending said auxiliary chamber, a gas inlet pipe.

connected into said coupling, and a pipe leading from said coupling to the top of said tank.

7. In a gas collector, the combination of a gas collecting tank, an auxiliary chamber beneath said tank, a pipe connecting the bottom of said tank with the bottom of -said auxiliary chamber, a draft tube leading from the bottom of said auxiliary chamber, a T-coupling connected at one end to the upper portion of said auxiliary chamber, a gas inlet pipe connected into the opposite end of said coupling, and a pipe connected at its lower end into the lateral branch of said coupling andextending upwardly within said tank to the upper end of the latter.

8. In a gas collector, the combination of a gas collecting tank, an auxiliary chamber beneath said tank, a pipe connecting the bottom of said tank with the bottom of said auxiliary chamber, a draft-tube leading from the bottom of said auxiliary chamber, a T-coupling connected at one end into the upper portion of said auxiliary chamber, a gas inlet pipe connected into the opposite end of said coupling, anda pipe coil connected at its lower. end into the lateral branch of said coupling and extending upwardly within said tank to the upper end of the latter, the lower end of said pipe coil within said coupling being inclined in crosssection.

IRA J BABCOCK. 

